A Few Good Snacks…

So last week was Halloween and let’s face it – some of the ‘treats’ that may have found (or are still finding) their way into your mouth are downright scary. Did you know that there are 25 ingredients in Plain M&M’s, 19 in a Snickers bar and 28 in an Almond Joy? And I don’t know about you but if I were going to write a recipe for something with ‘Joy’ in the name PGPR and Sodium Metabisulfite wouldn’t be top contenders for the ingredient list… Be afraid people. Be VERY afraid.

Halloween aside healthy snack and treat options are few and far between and these days, life moves pretty fast. Eating on the go is the rule rather than the exception. Finding Paleo friendly foods that travel well, are nutritious, contain quality ingredients, and that aren’t laden with ‘natural’ sugars is quite a feat. I know that there are a lot of you out there looking for good snack options or for treats that don’t result in a 2-day food hangover. Well guys, I’ve been holding out on you – but no more. I’m going let you in on my super-snack secret.

Some of you might already be ahead of me here and already be all over this stuff but if you’re new to game let me introduce you to Well Food Co. (if you’re a podcast listener you may have heard them mentioned as a sponsor). These guys specialize in making only the best Paleo snack options with as few ingredients as possible. And speaking of the ingredients, all of them were hand selected by two dudes that I trust with my life – John Welbourn and the Robb-ster himself. If you’re still not convinced that checking the Well Food Co. menu out is a good idea let me just tell you a little bit about the good stuff you’re missing out on.

If any of you out there are trying to keep things ‘Keto’ you know how hard it is to find quick, portable foods that travel well, taste great and still meet your carb requirements. Well, here’s the answer- the Coconut & Cacao Carne Bar is a Modern Keto-Warrior’s dream come true. This large and in charge bar made with 100% grass fed beef, organic raw coconut butter and cacao nibs has 17 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of sugar. I know, I know – but how does it taste, right? Let’s just say if you like cacao you will be in LOVE – this bar of carnivorous awesomeness will quench even the strongest cacao cravings. The texture is jerky-like – but not the “my jaw is now paralyzed shoe leather” stuff; no, this is tender, meaty and downright tasty.

All right, I’m not gonna lie. These Berry meaty bars are my favorite of the entire protein-packed Carne Bar and Jerky line-up. What can I say – I’m a sucker for ‘salty-sweet’! Like the Coconut & Cacao Bar, this one starts with 100% grass fed beef but has unsweetened organic dried blueberries and organic raw gogi berries instead of the coconut and cacao, giving them a slightly sweet taste. Not keto-friendly but still low in carbs and each bar has 18 grams of protein making them an awesome post workout snack that you can throw in your gym bag.

I think we can all agree that there is nothing that makes “Snapping into a Slim Jim” sound like a good idea and let’s face it – most of the jerky options at the grocery store are less than Paleo friendly. Soy, wheat, refined sugar, MSG, and shady meat are just the obvious offenders. The Paleo jerky and Steak Strips that the Well Food Co. crew puts out on the other hand are completely free of all of the shady stuff. Both are made from 100% grass fed beef; are gluten, soy, MSG and nitrate free; and best of all – they taste great and won’t leave you with a bad case of ‘jerky jaw’. The pre-portioned snack-sized packages are nothing but protein packed deliciousness.

“Me like cookie, yes me do. Me like cookie. How bout’ you?” Okay, let’s talk about treats. We all know that these aren’t every day, all day foods – but damn-it, sometimes you just want a cookie and preferably one that won’t leave your digestive system hating you or a 3-day food hangover. When I was getting ready to try these cookies I gotta tell you, I was skeptical. I had not tasted any Paleo ‘cookies’ that actually looked AND tasted like a true cookie that I’d actually enjoyed. I tried the Double Chocolate Chip version first, because – well, DUH… It far exceeded my expectations. It wasn’t dry and hard nor was it a patty of mashed-up dried fruit with nuts and chocolate chips interspersed. No, this was a real, live (well, maybe not ‘live’) cookie – like the kind mom makes. With only 6 ingredients, no cane sugar and 8 grams of protein; these ‘disks of deliciousness’ easily fit the occasional treat bill. The Almond Raisin variety is pretty darn tasty too (I am sort of a chocolate slut though…) and it only has 5 ingredients!

This is totally off the record (as in I have SO never done this…), but I’m guessing (because I’ve never actually done it…) that if you take 2 cookies and stick some coconut milk ice cream in between them it results (I mean WOULD result – because I’ve never done it…) in one EPIC ice cream sandwich. (DISCLAIMER: This is a TREAT and I am in no way shape or form endorsing habitual and/or excessive ingestion.)

Contrary to what you may think about my stance on protein powders; they do have their place. If you’re a hard charging athlete or trying to put on some mass – by all means, break out that shaker bottle. With that said, the protein you choose is pretty darn important and if you want to really optimize your recovery then whey is the ‘whey’ to go. Not just any whey though – it’s gotta be the grass fed stuff with no funky ingredients. If you’re still hunting for a perfect powder then get in on some of this Well Food Co. action. I’ll be the first to tell you that it goes down easy. Both the chocolate and the vanilla taste great, don’t clump when you ‘shake’ or mix them and are solid as far as nutrition and ingredients go. These powders are one of my favorite products from these guys. I highly recommend you give them a shake.

Holy post workout JACKPOT! Yeah, these bars are PERFECT for shaker bottle-free, portable, tasty post workout grub. These aren’t your typical ‘nutrition bars’ – I mean, how many protein bars are actually made with grass fed whey and don’t taste like you just sucked on a chalkboard eraser? These bad boys taste like some gluten-filled goodness that my mom used to bake – kind of brownie-like in texture and damn good. With only 7 ingredients and about a 3:1 carb to protein ratio, these are perfect for power and endurance athletes would be an awesome addition to any clean mass gain plan. Warning: These BIG bars of goodness are pretty hefty – so if you’re trying to get lean stick with Carne Bars and jerky to get post-workout perky.

“You had me at chocolate…” That’s right folks, I said the ‘C’ word and when pull that one out you need to understand that things are pretty serious. I’m not sure how all of you feel – but if you’re like me, you’ve probably never met chocolate that you didn’t like. But not so fast! Did you know that a lot of the chocolate and dark chocolate on the shelves has soy ingredients? It’s cruel trickery at its best. When I found this Well Food Co. soy-free stuff I was excited – but skeptical (because that’s just my nature). I have sampled A LOT (some would say an unhealthy amount…) of ‘natural’ dark chocolate and in my experience the word ‘grainy’ comes to mind. Not this stuff though – it is SMOOTH – melt in your mouth deliciousness. And there’s something for everyone from the ‘hard core 100%’ to the ‘show me some sweet 75%’. If you’re caught in the middle the 85% is the perfect fit and my personal favorite is the salty/sweet 85% + sea salt bar. With only 2-3 ingredients per bar this is some of the cleanest and best tasting chocolate out there.

If after all of that you can’t decide what to choose, want to try a little of everything or are looking for the perfect holiday gift; checkout the awesome assortment of gift baskets, samplers and gift certificate options. Whether you’re a hard-charging athlete, an on the go guy or gal, kicking it keto-style or just looking for a ‘few good snacks’ – Well Food Co. has something for you. It’s your one-stop Paleo snack shop.

Connect with them on Twitter @WellFoodCo and “Like” them on Facebook to be the first to know when a new product launches (word on the street is that Paleo Snax are making a comeback and there’s a new line of Wolf Snax in the works…) and when they’re having a killer sale. If you read all the way to the end of this post here’s a reward for you – Enter WolfSnax1 for 15% off your entire order and get free shipping on orders over $99.

Are you hungry??

Amy Kubal

Amy Kubal is a Registered "Paleo" Dietitian and the ring leader of Robb's RD consulting team. She works with a wide range of clients from competitive athletes to those dealing with complex health problems. Check out her bio and consulting options, and her blog Fuel As Rx to get your Paleo nutrition fix.

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Have you heard about the Paleo diet and were curious about how to get started? Or maybe you’ve been trying Paleo for a while but have questions or aren’t sure what the right exercise program is for you? Or maybe you just want a 30-day meal plan and shopping list to make things easier? Then Robb Wolf’s 30 Day Paleo Transformation is for you.

I’ve been taking the generic brand of protien powder for breakfast every other day or so for the last 3 years, and I never really gave a thought to how paleo it was. I just figured it was a small sacrifice that I should make in my diet to help gain a bit of weight (I’m shooting for about 7 lbs of gain).
I’ll have to check out the vanilla protein powder and see how I like it – thanks robb.

At $41.10 for six, these bars are 6.85 each. At 2 oz, that is $3.425/oz, which translates to $54.80 per lb. Compare that to what is available in your local deli. I would love to buy these bars but just cannot justify it at this price, even with 15% off. Thanks for the information though. Always good to know what is out there, and not every product is for everyone.

I’ve been looking forward to trying the Carne Bars, but just now visited the web site to place an order. Much to my disgust, $41.10 for six is an absolutely unreal price. I just placed another order for Epic Bars instead. I know they’re tasty, quality product at less than half the price of Carne Bars.

Definitely love the idea of convenient paleo foods. Its awesome to have the option to munch on something prepackaged when youre hungry instead of getting off track your diet.. but at nearly 7$ a bar, this product further leads to the discouraging stereotype that paleo is a pricey lifestyle when it doesn’t have to be. Epic bars are made of grassfed beef infused with fruits as well for under 3$ a bar.. definitely worth a review of their own

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